


A Lot More

by Fisticuffsandjapery



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 06:13:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16320665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fisticuffsandjapery/pseuds/Fisticuffsandjapery
Summary: 'John knew something was up when Milkovich asked to be transferred in with the new kid as his back scratcher. Of all the things he could have asked for after six months inside. Not a cell phone, nor extra visits; but a cell transfer.'





	A Lot More

**Author's Note:**

> I'm ashamed to admit that I stopped watching shameless after Mickey left for Mexico because it broke my poor little heart. So imagine my surprise when I saw thumbnails of the boys together on youtube clips.
> 
> I just had to write something.
> 
> In the POV of an outsider looking in at the boys.
> 
> Spoilers for episode 9x06
> 
> Apologies if I got the timings wrong for how long Ian is meant to be in prison - I haven't watched any of season 9.

John knew something was up when Milkovich asked to be transferred in with the new kid as his back scratcher. Of all the things he could have asked for after six months inside. Not a cell phone, nor extra visits; but a cell transfer.

 

When it came to Mickey Milkovich, John figured he'd have to keep an eye on him. No one asks to be transferred unless they had a debt to collect. And the prison guard had seen the south-sider punch. A sock to the mouth like that and you wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon. God help this Gallagher kid. 

 

The morning of the transfer the dark-haired boy was buzzing. John could practically feel the energy vibrating off of him as they walked towards the cell.  As the door opened he could see the taller man shake his head and brace himself for what was to come. The officer winced. He was ashamed to admit it but he closed the door as quickly as possible before he had to hear the sound of a fist connecting with a face.

 

He looked out for Gallagher the next morning, hoping the damage wasn't permanent. But no, the new kid looked unscathed.  John strained to see Mickey. Maybe he had underestimated their newest inmate. But on closer inspection, Milkovich was also without so much as a scratch. John wasn’t stupid.  Something didn’t add up. So from the sidelines, the guard paid specific attention to their interactions. A shared smirk now and again. The holding eye contact just a little too long. The  _ familiarity _ . He even spotted a playful nudge as they queued up for their morning slop.

 

‘Friends?’ he pondered to himself. They must be. But would you give up your one favour from the feds for a friend? ‘Maybe  _ best _ friends,’ he concluded.  And that explained why Monroe had a shiner the day after spewing shit to do with Gallagher and his crazy pills.

 

It hadn't even occurred to him that they were fuck buddies until he had caught them in the showers. It's not like John was shocked. He'd seen it a million times. Of course. It had made sense. Mickey recognised the name of someone he used to mess around with some other time they were incarcerated together. John knew better than most that if you could help it, it was safer to fuck someone familiar. Better the devil you know. Mickey was a man. He needed release. And Gallagher was a warm mouth. It didn’t occur to him that Mickey had been to one on his knees.

 

Weeks later, John caught them in another compromising position. This time on the routine wake up calls. It felt even more intrusive than the last time.  Gallagher and Milkovich tangled together fast asleep fully clothed. Ian had one arm casually draped across Mickey's chest which Mickey had gripped at the wrist. John coughed as he banged his palm on the metal door. Milkovich opened his eyes first with a start, eyes darting. Spotting the officer, he smirked casually flipping him off. John nodded. An unspoken agreement.  He wasn't going to tell anyone what he had witnessed.

 

From then on, he observed the black-haired boy with even more curiosity.  Without fail, every morning he would wait with Gallagher to collect his prescribed medication and made sure Ian took his pills in front of the shorter man.  They would train together in the courtyard and play footsie under the table when they thought no one could see.

 

And that's how it was day in day out.

 

Until 18 months later, the day before Milkovich’s release, the pair spent the whole day in their cell.  John had wordlessly walked in dropped 2 trays of beef stew to make sure they had something to eat. He had overheard Gallagher say something about wishing Mickey didn’t have to leave him.

 

That evening, Mikovich was given two further years for assaulting another prison guard in front of John.  He couldn’t prove it, but he swore Milkovich had looked back to make sure John was watching just before he threw his punch with that knowing smirk on his face.

 

So maybe they were a lot more than fuck buddies.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very rusty with these two especially. I haven't written them in what seems like forever.
> 
> I would love some feedback and thoughts!
> 
> xxx


End file.
